On Mon, 03 Jan 2005 04:16:16 GMT, Jim Laumann
wrote:

Hi All

This is my first post on this group.

And hopefully, you've lurked long enough to get a feel for the place.
That said, the posts I see, Wolfgang's and Wayne Knight's, give solid,
and IMO, accurate, advice.

About the only thing I'd add, esp. if you are a spin/bait caster, is to
find an instructor for at least some basic lessons. If not, remember at
least one thing as to the casting itself - you ain't chunking a bait,
you're chunking a line.

In other words, rather than a "heavy" bait being the main part of the
tackle for casting/carrying a line off a reel (whose characteristics are
somewhat important) and whose main characteristic is the strength to
fight the quarry, in fly casting/fishing, a line, matched with a rod,
and both chosen for their characteristics, are casting/carrying a bait
of no real weight, with the reel being not material at that point. This
can play hell with experienced spin-casters (and their muscle memory),
but as always, your mileage may vary.

TC,
R